Upon a Sunny Day

I don’t know if they’re called {soccer moms} anymore.  If so, well, I am one.  My daughter Allie has made her high school team and I am excited for this new phase of life.

Another new{ism}…..Recently my husband brought our bikes out of retirement.  Both he and I each own one and they’ve been sitting in our basement for two and a half years.  Mine was a birthday gift 13 years ago.  His entered our life around the same time.  Because of their age and the fact they haven’t been ridden in quite some time, they needed a bit of work and clean up.  Thanks to husband Chip, they were revived and ready to ride on Monday.  Later in the week, our new bike carrier arrived, making it easy to transport our cycles.

I enjoy riding.  My bike is the mountain bike variety and I am by no means going to become one of those Tour de France types who dash about the country roads of Kentucky wearing designer bike wear.  But, ever since I was a child, I’ve loved just riding down the street.  For whatever reason, it seems freeing to me.

Sunday morning, Chip and I took an extended ride on the Legacy Trail, which is a walking/biking trail near our home.  While riding, I realized a few things.  First of all, by riding together, I’m most likely slowing my husband down.  He can ride faster than me, and I’m guessing he’d like to speed on down the trail.  Happily, though, I realized it’s nice to be cruising along together, one of us just ahead of the other.  We can yell, “Turn here.”  Or “Try switching gears.”  But we cannot carry on a normal conversation.  Not the way we can when we walk our beagle around the neighborhood.  And I kind of like that.  We’re together, but there’s no talking…..  Perhaps that’s kind of odd, especially to the communication gurus in the crowd.  Yet I enjoy just the {togetherness}.

I believe this fall’s soccer games will offer much the same.  We’ll most likely sit side by side in the stands, watching Allie and her teammates.  But I seriously doubt we’ll have a full blown discussion regarding our workdays.  Or a serious talk about our financial situation.  Or even what we’re going to eat for dinner on Tuesday night.  And again, I look forward to it.  Being near, sharing something, but not having to chat and chatter.  Neither of us feeling obligated to respond to the others comments.

It’s not that I do not like talking with my husband.  I do and there’s a time for that.  It’s just sometimes I feel, strangely, I should say something when we’re together.  Start a conversation……At the very least bring up the weather.  But gosh, we’ve been together a long time, we’ve said quite a bunch to each other.  Maybe it’s healthy to simply {be together}.